Every day, five U.S. soldiers try to kill themselves. Before the Iraq war began, that figure was less than one suicide attempt a day.
The dramatic increase is revealed in new U.S. Army figures, which show 2,100 soldiers tried to commit suicide in 2007.
“Suicide attempts are rising and have risen over the last five years,” said Col. Elspeth Cameron-Ritchie, an Army psychiatrist.
This is a very sad statistic. When the Iraq War began, I remember being excited about the bravery of these soldiers and the photos coming out of Baghdad even though I objected to the war. I can’t hide from the fact that I could never do what they do. Not only would I be a terrible soldier, I wouldn’t be able to set aside my own personal beliefs and put trust in my commanding officers or my government.
Clearly, this war is taking a toll on our soldiers. Probably, one of the most stressful things is not having a clear goal in mind. Has the Bush Administration ever laid out when the mission will be accomplished and what will signifiy that it is accomplished? In tangible terms I mean. Without having that, it must be difficult to have the motivation to keep going with no end in sight.
Thank you for writing about this issue. I would like to point out to anyone reading this that these are only Army statistics. It does not include all the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard folks that are attempting suicide as well. I am on active duty in the Navy and serve in the medical field and see our problems first hand. As a two time war veteran myself, I have first hand felt the effects of depression as well.
The articles I have read all focus on throwing more money into programs for suicide prevention and hiring more mental health professionals. No program will prevent suicide. It only teaches others to recognize the symptoms in friends. In the military, it is common for chains of command not to support their troops on mental health issues and to say they are faking it. Granted some are, but every case should be taken seriously. If someone is willing to jump off a ship or run after a friend with an axe, I think something is wrong with them and they are off balance enough not to be holding a weapon and safe guarding my life. Just because they don’t have a “diagnosis” doesn’t mean they are still fit for active duty. What the public also does not know is that a physicians recommendation for care can be overriden by the chain of command. There is a shortage of troops, I’ve seen doctor’s opinions overriden by people with absolutely NO medical training. This absolutely has to change! Where are the rights of the soldier? These days we seem to have none.
Last year, I know of two medical professionals that shot themselves in the head. Was that in the news? No. It didn’t even make the military news. For us to seek care, it often means going to see a provider that we know and we often know all of the technicians in the office as well. As active duty members, we are not allowed to seek care outside of the military health system, but any family member can. Retirees are almost required to. So, I am forced to either keep my issues to myself and continue in pain or to risk that someone who knows me won’t tell their friends my problems potentially ruining my career. Or, much worse, the person who is treating me may have control over my advancement which is even worse. Active duty members should have the right to seek care outside of the military system especially since we don’t have enough providers to care for us. Did the Bush administration forget there is a major shortage of health professionals right now? No amount of money in the world is going to fix that. We just aren’t going to get the care we need.
The answer to this problems is quality of life. Our quality of life sucks right now and there seems to be no end in sight. The focus has been on the Veteran’s administration which is a wonderful thing, however, those still on active duty need some advocates out there as well. It is hard to speak out when your leaders don’t care and keep telling you it will get better next month. And, even more difficult because the leaders have direct control over promotions. Active duty folks have no real advocates, no way of voicing our concerns outside the chain of command.
We need to end this war. But, first limit tour lengths and provide better access to mental health services. They exist, but we as active duty members are not allowed to access them. So, many will keep on being depressed and eventually commit suicide when it can’t be self managed any more. The barriers to getting care are just too high.
Thank you for first of all providing more insight into this issue than is being reported. I also thank you for serving our country. It’s not much, but I hope it helps to know that those of us who won’t or can’t serve in the armed forces are incredibly grateful for those who do.
There are so many reasons why a suicidal person may not seek help, but to think that this system encourages soldiers to hide what is a treatable illness is truly a tragedy.
The increases in the number of military suicides is indicative of our society’s breakdown. Our lives are full of false promises and false expectations. Not just by the president and the chain of command either. Many today join the armed forces not to sacrifice for the country but for a job or a promise of education or even for more money than one could make locally, in their own home town, military on the other hand makes promises of bonuses, secure job, and sometime taking care of one’s family.
The job is more pressure full for a married soldier, or for one in a relationship, while you are “over there” making sacrifices your mare is back home demanding more goods more goodies and more benefits, and yes sex. If you happen to be in a relationship where your partner was in to sex all the time you are not sure about their fidelity, this pressure alone is mind boggling, how can you trust the one you left behind. Divorces, break ups and dear Johns. Here you are ruling the world at a gun point while any instant your mate can tell you are not worth it and they are going to leave. At a deeper level, the cause of suicide in the services is not the pressure of the fight or the ugliness of war, it is being first told by you are not worth it and then being told by the military you are not worth saving.